The beautiful scenery of Dalian attracted 240 runners from both home and abroad to participate in the race.
Despite the low outdoor temperature, it could not dampen the enthusiasm of the participants.
Yesterday morning around 6 a.m., at Fuja Mountain Park, 240 enthusiasts from China and overseas officially set off to take part in the “Dalian 100 Trail Run.” It is reported that similar trail running events have been held three times in Hong Kong, China, but this event marks the first civilian 100-kilometer trail race on the Chinese mainland. Thanks to Dalian’s picturesque landscapes, runners from the United States, Singapore, Japan, and other regions joined the race.
Yesterday morning around 5:30 a.m., Fuja Mountain Park was bustling with runners. Despite the chilly weather, many were wearing shorts as they warmed up before the race. Yu Lei, the organizer of the event and Secretary-General of the Dalian Mountaineering Association, told reporters that ultra-long-distance endurance running has become popular worldwide, but similar races in mainland China are relatively rare, and those that meet international standards are even fewer. Unlike other races, all finishers will step onto the podium—even the champion receives no cash prize. To promote environmental awareness, the event is cup-free. He hopes to establish the Dalian 100 as an internationally renowned brand event, creating a bridge for trail runners to compete abroad. Meanwhile, holding the race also serves to welcome this year’s National Games. “Dalian’s scenery is absolutely stunning, and that’s the main reason so many runners from different places came,” Yu Lei said. Reportedly, aid stations are set up approximately every 10 kilometers along the course, offering water, food, and rest areas for participants. Around 7:20 a.m., the first runner arrived at the first aid station, located at the 14-kilometer mark. The athlete was in good shape, taking just a sip of water before continuing. Within minutes, more runners passed through the station.
During interviews, reporters noticed that some participants had removed their shirts, while others picked up tree branches along the road for support. Each aid station was staffed with over ten volunteers providing services, most of whom came from universities. “During this preparation period, the runners among the volunteers have covered no less than 100 kilometers themselves, as every volunteer needs to be familiar with the nearby course in case they need to provide timely assistance to runners,” Yu Lei said. By yesterday afternoon close to 5 p.m., the first participant had successfully completed the 100-kilometer race in nearly 11 hours.
Keywords
Rules
The event features races of 50 kilometers, 100 kilometers, and a 50-kilometer team race. The courses traverse urban areas, coastal routes, and mountainous terrain. The 100-kilometer race has a cumulative elevation gain of 425 meters, with a cutoff time of 24 hours. The 50-kilometer race involves a cumulative climb of 2,543 meters and has a cutoff time of 12 hours.
Number of Participants
A total of 126 runners took part in the 100-kilometer race, and 114 in the 50-kilometer race. The oldest participant was 65 years old, and the youngest was 22.
Volunteers
Over 2,000 volunteers signed up, hailing from universities such as Dalian University of Foreign Languages, Dalian University of Technology, and Dongbei University of Finance and Economics. Later, the organizers selected 300 volunteers with specialties such as a passion for hiking and proficiency in English.